Camellia Sect Research Articles

Four New Species and Two New Sections ofCamellia(Theaceae) from Vietnam

Four new species of Camellia L. (Theaceae) are described from Vietnam: C. duyana Orel, Curry & Luu, C. ligustrina Orel, Curry & Luu, C. bugiamapensis Orel, Curry, Luu & Q. D. Nguyen, and C. capitata Orel, Curry & Luu. The new taxa were collected from the Da Lat Plateau and the Lang Biang Massif phytogeographic region in southern Vietnam. The new finds are morphologically dissimilar to known Camellia species, and for two species, the new sections Camellia sect. Capitatae Orel and Camellia sect. Pierrea Orel are established. These species are endemic to the montane temperate or to the lowland tropical rainforests of Vietnam.

CAMELLIA OCONORIANA (THEACEAE), A NEW SPECIES FROM VIETNAM

The new species Camellia oconoriana Orel, Curry & Luu (Theaceae), endemic to Lam Dong Province, Vietnam, is described and illustrated. It is compared to Camellia species in sections Archaecamellia, Stereocarpus, Piquetia and Chrysantha. Morphological evidence supports a transitional placement in Camellia sect. Chrysantha ser. Chrysanthae.

New Flavan-3-ol Dimer from Green Tea Produced from Camellia taliensis in the Ai-Lao Mountains of Southwest China

Camellia taliensis (W. W. Smith) Melchior, belonging to the genus Camellia sect. Thea (Theaceae), is an endemic species distributed from the west and southwest of Yunnan province, China, to the north of Myanmar. Known as a wild tea tree, its leaves have been used commonly for producing tea beverages by the local people of its growing area. One new flavan-3-ol dimer, talienbisflavan A (1), was isolated from green tea prepared from the leaves of C. taliensis collected from the east side of the Ai-Lao mountains, Yuanjiang county of Yunnan province, China. In addition, five hydrolyzable tannins (2-6), five flavonols and flavonol glycosides (9-13), three flavan-3-ols (14-16), nine simple phenolic compounds and glycosides (7, 8, and 17-23), and caffeine (24) were identified. Their structures were determined by detailed spectroscopic analysis. All of the isolated phenolic compounds were tested for their antioxidant activities by DPPH and ABTS(+) radical scavenging assays. The contents of its main chemical compositions were also compared with those collected from the Lincang area of Yunnan province by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis.

Study on Camellia Sect. Chrysantha Chang species identification by FTIR technology

FTIR spectra from 16 kinds of Camellia Sect. Chrysantha by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) method combined with the system clustering and correlation coefficient method were used to analyze and compare these spectral data. The results, show that: Camellia Sect. Chrysantha of 16 kinds were divided into three groups, the first kind was: C. longzhouensis etc, in all eleven kinds; The second kind was: C. achrysantha, C. limonia, C. pingguoensis and C. chuongtsoensis; The third kind was C. microcarpa, which for a class alone. According to the difference in related anatomy and morphology, this study supported that C. longgangensis and C. ptilosperma should be incorporated into one kind; C. multipetala, C. longgangensis, C. parvipetala, C. tunghinensis and C. limonia, C. achrysantha, C. microcarpa, C. nitidissima, C. terminali and C. pingguoensis should be divided into separate species. FTIR-cluster analysis can be used as a possible means for the identification of Camellia Sect. Chrysantha.

Camellia cherryana(Theaceae), a new Species from China

A new species of Camellia (Theaceae), C. cherryana Orel, endemic to the Sichuan-Yunnan border region, the People's Republic of China, is described and illustrated. It has variably sized, slightly coriaceous, elliptic to lanceolate leaves with a strongly acuminate apex and cuneate base; the adaxial leaf surface is glabrous and slightly pitted, mid-green and shiny, the abaxial leaf surface is sparsely pubescent, light green and shiny; the flowers are solitary, pedicellate, 5–7 cm in diam.; the corolla is two-whorled, white and the petals are soft, opaque to translucent, orbicular or almost orbicular, widely reflexed with undulate margins; the filaments are glabrous, up to 1.5 cm long, but mostly shorter; the styles are three, brown, densely pubescent, 1–1.2 cm long, basally joined but otherwise free; and the stigma is of the same colour, indistinct. The morphological evidence supports a placement in Camellia sect. Heterogena.

CAMELLIA INUSITATA (THEACEAE), A NEW SPECIES FORMING A NEW SECTION (BIDOUPIA) FROM VIETNAM

A new species of Camellia L. (Theaceae) from Vietnam, C. inusitata Orel, Curry & Luu, is described, illustrated and compared with six Camellia species from sections Thea (L.) Dyer, Corallina Sealy and Paracamellia Sealy. Reproductive morphology and molecular evidence supports taxonomic placement in the genus Camellia but the vegetative morphology is so distinct that a new section, Camellia sect. Bidoupia Orel, Curry & Luu, is established.

Chemical Compositions and Antioxidant Activity of Essential Oil from Green Tea Produced from Camellia taliensis (Theaceae) in Yuanjiang, Southwestern China

Camellia taliensis belonging to Camellia sect. Thea (Theaceae) is distributed from the western and southwestern areas of Yunnan Province, China to the north of Myanmar. Known as the "wild" tea plant, it has been commonly used for making tea by the local people of its growing area. It is the first investigation of the volatile constituents of the fresh tender leaves of C.taliensis and green teas produced from its tender and older leaves. The volatile constituents were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Ninety-one compounds were identified. The results showed that the main compositions of volatile oil of the fresh tender leaves were hexadecanoic acid (30.52%), linoleic acid (19.82%), phytol (8.75%), and geraniol (2.54%), while monoterpenoids (58.51%) composing of linalool (28.43%), hotrienol (1.13%), α-terpineol (11.68%), nerol (4.92%) and geraniol (12.34%) were the major volatile components of its green tea product. From the fresh leaves to the green tea products, 28 aroma components were formed. Among then, the content of (Z, Z, Z)-9, 12, 15-octadecatrien-1-ol (peak 77) was up to 1.21% (from tender leaves) and 11.2% (from older leaves), respectively. The DPPH and ABTS+ radical scavenging assays demonstrated a moderate activity of essential oil from the three essential oils of C.taliensis.

Camellia cattienensis: a new species of Camellia (sect. Archaecamellia: Theaceae) from Vietnam

A new species of the genus Camellia L. (Theaceae, Theoideae) is described and illustrated under the name C. cattienensis. This species occurs in the rainforest vegetation of Lam Dong Province, Vietnam. A discussion of the morphological characters distinguishing this new species from related Camellia species is presented. Morphological evidence supports a transitional taxonomic placement in Camellia sect. Archaecamellia Sealy. This placement is justified by C. cattienensis exhibiting some morphological characteristics also found in sects Stereocarpus (Pierre) Sealy and Piquetia (Pierre) Sealy.

Phenolic Antioxidants from the Leaves of Camellia pachyandra Hu.

Camellia pachyandra Hu. is a species in Camellia sect. Heterogenea (Theaceae), whose leaves have been used for making tea and consumed by the local people living in Yunnan province, China. This is the first investigation of the chemical constituents in the leaves of C. pachyandra, from which 22 phenolic compounds including nine hydrolyzable tannins (1-9), 11 flavonol glycosides (10-20), and two simple phenolics (21, 22) were isolated. It was noted that the leaves of the title plant contained no caffeine and no catechin, whereas hydrolyzable tannins were found to be the major constituents, of which the content of ellagitannin 5 reached to 3.7%. All the isolates were evaluated for their antioxidant activities by DPPH radical scavenging and tyrosinase inhibitory assays. Though the secondary metabolites without caffeine and catechins are different from the commonly consumed tea plants, the results suggested that the leaves of C. pachyandra, rich in hydrolyzable tannins as potent antioxidants, could be developed as an ideal resource for a natural beverage without caffeine.

A New Species of Camellia Sect. Stereocarpus (Theaceae) from Vietnam

A new species of Camellia L. (Theaceae), C. maiana Orel, endemic to the Da Lat Plateau in southern Vietnam, is described and illustrated. The newly described species has variable-sized, ovate to obovate leaves; 2-whorled, terminal, sessile flowers exhibiting emarginate, opaque to translucently white, finely textured petals; a compound style consisting of four parts that are fused at the base; persistent bracteoles; and a superior 4-chambered ovary. The morphological evidence supports taxonomic placement as a transitional member of Camellia sect. Stereocarpus (Pierre) Sealy.

Camellia luteocerata sp. nov. and a new section of Camellia (Dalatia) from Vietnam

A new Vietnamese species of the genus Camellia L. (Theaceae, Theoidae) is described and illustrated as C. luteocerata Orel. This species occurs in the rainforests of Lam Dong Province, Vietnam. Morphological characteristics that distinguish it from related Camellia species are presented and discussed. Morphological evidence supports a taxonomic placement in a new section, which is described here as Camellia sect. Dalatia Orel, within C. subgen. Protocamellia (sensu Chang).

Phenolic Antioxidants from Green Tea Produced from Camellia crassicolumna Var. multiplex

Camellia crassicolumna var. multiplex (Chang et Tan) Ming belonging to Camellia sect. Thea (Theaceae), is endemic to the southeastern area of Yunnan province, China, where the leaves have been commonly used for making tea and beverages consumed widely. HPLC analysis showed that there was no caffeine or theophylline contained in the leaves; however, thin layer chromatography (TLC) analysis suggested the abundant existence of phenolic compounds. Further detailed chemical investigation of the green tea produced from the leaves of the plant led to the identification of 18 phenolic compounds, including four flavan-3-ols (1-4), six flavonol glycosides (5-10), three hydrolyzable tannins (11-13), two chlorogenic acid derivatives (14, 15), and three simple phenolic compounds (16-18). The isolated compounds were evaluated for their antioxidant activities by 1,1'-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and tyrosinase inhibitory assays. Most of them exhibited significant DPPH radical scavenging activities, whereas flavan-3-ols and hydrolyzable tannins showed stronger inhibitory activities on tyrosinase. The results suggest that C. crassicolumna could be an ideal plant resource for a noncaffeine beverage.

FTIR spectra of Camellia sect. Oleifera, sect. Paracamellia, and sect. Camellia (Theaceae) with reference to their taxonomic significance

FTIR spectra of Camellia sect. Oleifera, sect. Paracamellia, and sect. Camellia (Theaceae) with reference to their taxonomic significance

A New Species of Camellia Section Piquetia (Theaceae) from Vietnam

ABSTRACT A new species of Camellia (Theaceae) endemic to the Dalat Plateau in southern Vietnam is described and illustrated: Camellia dongnaiensis. The newly described species has large pendulous, narrowly obovate leaves; two whorled, waxy, pendulous flowers exhibiting emarginate, graduated yellow-apricot to intensely pink petals; peduncles distinctly wider at the proximal end; a compound style consisting of six parts that are fused at the base for one third of their length; persistent bracteoles; and a superior five-chambered ovary. The morphological evidence supports taxonomic placement in Camellia sect. Piquetia (Pierre) Sealy.

Simultaneous analysis of purine alkaloids and catechins in Camellia sinensis, Camellia ptilophylla and Camellia assamica var. kucha by HPLC

Simultaneous analysis of purine alkaloids and catechins in tea from dry leaves of Camellia sinensis, Camellia ptilophylla and Camellia assamica var. kucha by a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method. This HPLC method had been proved to be appropriate for the identification and quantification of purine alkaloids and catechins, and exhibited good correlation coefficients, detection levels and recovery rates. Caffeine, theobromine, theacrine, (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin, (−)-epigallocatechin, (−)-epigallocatechin gallate, (−)-epicatechin gallate, (−)-gallocatechin gallate and (−)-gallocatechin were identified and quantified in the three species of genus Camellia Sect. Thea. There was 2.72% caffeine and 0.26% theobromine in C. sinensis, 4.85% theobromine in C. ptilophylla, and 1.58% theacrine, 0.94% caffeine and 0.45% theobromine in C. assamica var. kucha. Theacrine in C. sinensis and C. ptilophylla, and caffeine in C. ptilophylla were not detected. These data highlight differences in the relative proportions of purine alkaloids in the three species of Camellia Sect. Thea. In addition, different catechins were identified and quantified. The highest content of catechin in dry leaves was (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) 3.51%, (−)-gallocatechin gallate (GCG) 9.88% and (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) 6.78% in C. sinensis, C. ptilophylla and C. assamica var. kucha, respectively.